Hanging Around: Gravity and Slinky Spring Scales
Students learn about weight by building a spring scale from a slinky and observing how it responds to objects with different masses.
Students build and examine spring scales they make with slinkys.Copyright 2006 Tano4595, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 1.2+ http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dinam%C3%B3metro.jpg
Engineers must balance the relationship between weight of materials and gravity in their designs. Civil engineers design structures, such as bridges and tall buildings, making material choices that assure they will not fall down. Aeronautical engineers design light yet strong airplanes and rockets with enough power and fuel to lift away from the pull of gravity. Environmental engineers analyze the way water flows down a river canyon or the effect of forces pushing against a storage tank's wall.
After this activity, students should be able to
- Explain that weight is a comparison of the force of gravity pulling on objects with different masses.
- Collect and analyze data.
- Make predictions from observed data.
- Describe why engineers must balance the relationship between weight of materials and gravity in their designs.